image It’s been a while since I’ve been moved to write about any particular topic. I’ve seen some poo-stained movies like Adam Sandler’s Mr. Deeds and I watch too much true crime stories on Court TV and I’ve read lots of Green Lantern comics, but I haven’t felt the need to subject our small but loyal audience to more of my stupid recycled jokes and barely cohesive plot summaries. But, to get to the point, I’m becoming very enamored with Hunter S. Thompson. Hunter is a lunatic, and a very amusing one at that, but the main thing that draws me to his work is his savage honesty and his willingness to put his head in the lion’s mouth of politics, bikers, or what-not. Hunter is a rare monster in the world of journalism, and while many many people might be happy to dismiss him as a madman, just remember that madness is sometimes the only solution to dealing with an insane world. Yup. Let’s take a look at Hunter and what he does. Maybe we (you the reader and me the typing monkey) can make some sense of it together. It’ll be an adventure into Gonzo-Town, so join me, won’t you?

imageFear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72

Hunter follows the campaign trail of the Democratic nominees for President and then the Nixon / McGovern ‘72 race. Politics are confusing, I readily admit I know very little about the jargon or actual process, but reading this has helped me gain much, much insight into the system. Hunter makes everything less scary and more lively with his interjections through a years worth of stalking politicions like a mangy starved wolf. Hunter shares his fears of having his arms broken by Secret Service agents, threatens to set a girl’s hair on fire, and gives personal assessments of various politician’s drug addictions. He suffers two physical breakdowns during the cousrse of writing this book, and I can’t say I blame him. My personal schedule of insomnia and caffine-intake pales in comparison to that of the very least campaign organizer or journalist following the election. Hunter flays the various candidates and figures without mercy, and he is not afraid to burn bridges. It’s amazing the Nixon camp let him within 2,000 yards of the man. I’m also shocked noone strapped him down to give him drug tests, or perhaps locked him up and threw away the key for his social faux paus (fer example giving a psychopath his press pass and allowing him to harass Democat “Big” Ed Muskie). As always Hunter is highly opinionated, and even if you think he’s entirely off-base it’s refreshing to read his fearless ramblings. One of the most touching moments comes when Vietnam veterans make protests during Nixon speeches. Key scenes are depitecd by Ralph Steadman, an artist who seems like a modern day George Grosz. Politician on politician violence is also something to behold. Slight indescretions can lead to career homicide. This is how the big boys play. Hunter comes away from 1972 and Nixon being re-elected deciding that America is a nation of “used car-dealers” who get the government they deserve. Hunter suffered breakdowns and being blinded by tear-gas and hair-loss to write this book, so you should check it out.

imageGeneration of Swine

This is a collection of 2-page columns Hunter wrote in the 1980s. When I think of the 1980s’ I think of He-Man and Popples and snap-bracelets…but you can bet that none of these things are the focus of this book. Hunter covers America vs. Khadafi, Ed Meese’s war on pornography, the Iran-Conta Affair, and lots and lots of examination of Regan. There’s also some great coverage of a Soldiers of Fortune convention,  a brief foray into starting a Salvage buisness, and Hunter’s warfare against local wildlife. This vignette book is perfect for those with short-attention spans (I’m looking at you Hollywood), but the collection also forms a cohesive picture of life in America during the 1980s. Llike I said I don’t think I watched 2 solid hours of the news during the decade of the 1980s. As an adolescent I was preoccupied with cartoons. I guess I could activate my Time Tunnel and yell at my 10 year old self for not paying attention to real life, but honestly I can barely cope with the things Hunter writes about the 80s even now. Ugly, ugly stuff, despite the fact that Hunter makes several hopeful (and horribly inaccurate) predictions about where the country will go in the 90s. Much like Fear & Loathing On the Campaign Trail, the book ends on a note of despair, as Hunter becomes further disillusioned with society. I’m getting worn down from reading this…I have my fingers crossed that World Peace is announced sometime this week. Please?

image Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (the movie)

Well, goddamn. I admire many talented writers, actors and directors, but there’s one class in movies that rises above the rest. Some people make magic with what they do. Christopher Walken does it, Chris Farley does it (hey, you try being amusing when saddled with dogshit movies. Ref: Any other SNL alumni who’s attempted to be a movie star). And Terry Gilliam does it. Boy howdy does he. The task of translating Hunter’s gonzo journalism into a movie is a Herculean task, but he comes through. Some stories are not meant to be translated into cinema, and before seeing this I would have been sorely tempted to include Hunter into this category. Gilliam is a master of taking pure, streamlined madness and putting a direction to it and filtering it though his own unmistakeable vision. Fear & Loathing is the story of Hunter Thompson (aka Raoul Duke) (Johnny Depp) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (a large Samoan) raising Hell in pursuit of finding the American Dream. Initially Hunter is covering a dirt-race of some sort, but after this assignment proves to be a bore he explores the wildlife of Vegas. Compared to his attorney Hunter is sane and level headed, and most of his problems stem from his attorney breaking every rule of Vegas (don’t screw over the locals, don’t brandish knives at Cameron Diaz). They attend a policeman’s anti-drug conference and Hunter finally suffers a breakdown after an inhuman amount of debauchery. It’s a roller coaster and no synopsis can come close to describing the frenetic pace. I was tired just watching this movie. Well, we’ve already established that I think this movie is funny as all Hell, but for a simple funny drug movie you could just tune in to Comedy Centrals reruns of any Cheech & Chong flick, or you could watch the god-awful Half Baked.This movie rises above the superficial madness to take on the heady task of finding the American Dream. Hunter reminices about the freak and drug cultures of San Francisco in the 1960s, something he thought would usher in a new era in America of peace, but in the end he rejects it for producing a whole generation of mental crippples. Does Fear & Loathing simplify things too much? Attempt to provide easy answers? I don’t think so, but at the same time I’m not sure I really comprehend the message, I need to watch it a few more times. I enjoy analyzing things to death. Gilliam’s non-linear forms of storytelling demand multiple watchings, so that’s ok. If you’re not up for that kind of thing, just appreciate this movie on a surface level. Johnny Depp is the bees knees, and he nails Hunter’s speech patterns perfectly, the numberous LSD and Mescaline hallucinations are visually compelling (I’ve been assured by local dopefiends that the hallucinations are an accurate representation of “tripping”), and an all-star cast of cameos (Cameron Diaz as a racecar groupie, Tobey Maguire as a balding hippie, Christina Ricchi as a young artist, and Hunter himself in a bizarre flashback) are nice easter eggs. I dare you not to laugh at Hunter screaming at a mob accusing them of killing Jesus, or semi-shrewdly conning his way out of paying a traffic ticket (apparently officers won’t respect you if you pull over when they start flashing sirens, you have to make them chase you to earn their trust. Don’t try this at home readers, Hunter is a professional outlaw). Gilliam takes a bleak story, but lets the hilarious madness shine through. Same thing with his films Brazil and 12 Monkeys. Armaggedon, the dark side of society, the end of the world….finding a will to smile in the face of this is not easy. You try it bub.  Watch this movie and love it. Oh yeah, there’s a monkey in it too. That’s an automatic 50 gogoplex gamillion extra stars right there.

imageNotes and Miscelleny
What have we learned, huh? Hunter has lived an interesting life. Some people can run around all crazy and still be respected by their peers (writers, love ‘em I do). Uh….the American Dream is in the seedy world of Vegas circa 1970? You know, I’m not sure what exactly it is we’ve learned here today. I guarentee these books are educational. 100% Grade A literature they is. Um…I already knew that Terry Gilliam is a visionary. So….there’s a lot to be learned here I suppose. Like…Future can’t write a conclusion to save his life. Well, I guess you might have an idea from the tone of this review weather or not you’d be interested in learning more about Hunter S. Thompson. So, consult your local library.

-Future